On Sunday, AC Milan and Inter will face off in this season’s first Derby della Madonnina, or Milan derby as it is also known. While these days the (generally) bi-seasonal clash may not be on the level of Spain’s El Clasico or the Manchester Derby in terms of worldwide viewings, it is always one that both fans and general Serie A followers will certainly tune in to watch.
Like any feud, the rivalry between the Nerazzurri and the Rossoneri has its origins, dating back to the 1908 schism over the signing of foreign players, with the first ever derby taking place on October 18th of that same year.
Yet, despite the ideological split, both Inter and Milan’s fortunes continued to be intertwined in an astonishing period of dominance from during the 1960s — in both the league and across Europe. In fact, both Inter an Milan, led by Helenio Herrera and Nereo Rocco and starring Sandro Mazzola and Gianni Rivera respectively won the European Cup an astonishing four times during that period, including three consecutive years from 1963 to 1965.
However, the glory of the 1960s was followed by turbulent times in the 1970s and most of the 1980s. For Milan, it was not until Silvio Berlusconi purchased the club that the Rossoneri began to again taste success at the tail end of the decade; and extended that period until as recently as seven years ago when they won their seventh Champions League trophy.
Meanwhile, cross-town rivals Inter, now under the helm of Erick Thohir, endured more frustration with a series of disappointing signings, but nonetheless ended their long wait for a Serie A title in 2006 following the Calciopoli scandal. Seizing on this opportunity, they went from strength to strength in the league and finally clinched their long-awaited European crown in 2010, becoming the first Italian side to ever complete the treble.
Interestingly, while most of their meetings have been naturally in league play, the two Milanese sides have faced off twice in European competition, with the 2005 quarter-finals being one of the most violent derby matches contested. Milan had headed into the match after a 2–0 win in the first leg but Inter were still very much in the competition until all hell broke loose as the team’s ultras, enraged at a call that ruled out Esteban Cambiasso’s goal began to unleash a firestorm of flares onto the pitch, injuring the opposing side’s goalkeeper, Dida, in the process.Once the dust had settled, not only were Inter fined a whopping €200,000 by UEFA, but were forced to forfeit the match, thus ending their European campaign prematurely.
While subsequent derbies have been nowhere as feisty, there is nonetheless still an element of intrigue due to the number of players in recent times who have featured — and, in Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s case, scored — for both sides, with names like Giampaolo Pazzini, Antonio Cassano, and Mario Balotelli immediately coming to mind.
Sunday’s meeting will be the first derby for new coach Pippo Inzaghi. The retired striker is of course no stranger to the clashes that fans of both teams around the world eagerly await each season. And Roberto Mancini, of course, in his second spell with the Nerazzurri, is another keenly familiar with the atmosphere surrounding such a game full of sentimentality, intrigue, and rivalry.
Of course the derby today is no longer the top-of-the-table clash it once was, nor is it filled with particularly high caliber of players. As things stand, with both teams in mid table and only one point dividing them, meaning that whomever emerges as the winner would not only inch closer to a European berth but also — and perhaps more importantly — enjoy plenty of bragging rights until the next meeting.
Follow Michelle Bonsu on Twitter at: @MichelleB289
